Tuesday 2 March 2010

Unringed Dunnock shock

Heysham Obs
That epitome of mass migration, an unringed Dunnock, graced a single net round before wind and facilitation with a very pleasant 32-strong group from Sandwich Bay Obs took over

North wall/wooden jetty etc.
Twite - 3 appeared as soon as the food put down
Linnet - 2 as above
Meadow Pipit - one 'in-off' then landed on mound - first evidence of any migration
Purple Sandpiper - two on the lower tiers of the jetty
Turnstone - 78 (possibly +) on the jetty
Med Gull - 3 adults after anglers scraps (1 Czech-ringed)
Nothing obvious far offshore but a bit choppy

Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Jack Snipe - 2 on saltmarsh (per SBO group)
Snipe - 3+ on saltmarsh but many probably already displaced by 10m tide

Middleton IE
Pochard (8), Goldeneye (3) on model boat pond plus a gentleman with an appropriate John Terry-like miscreant mohican slinging a ball into the water for two collies to chase.  Amazingly the ducks stayed on in the NW corner

Heysham N Reserve
Green Woodpecker in the tank farm early afternoon plus the aforementioned unringed Dunnock!

Elsewhere
Smew still on Freeman's Pool.  94 Skylark (min count) & 8 Rock Pipit in/alongside maize stubble at river end of Overton-Colloway marsh mud track